We’ve been advocates in this space for several years now for the city to address its pending water shortfall.

So it is with a sense of sadness that we cannot in good faith with the readers endorse Saturday’s $15.3 million bond proposal. It’s a vexing situation where the time frame forced upon voters has not allowed a thorough vetting of the proposition and repayment plan.

There may be grant money and low interest loans available from the Texas Water Development Board’s Economically Distressed Areas Program, but we’ve heard nothing about that from the city, even though several Bee County projects have already qualified for the program.

By reducing the use of Lake Corpus Christi water at a rate of 82 cents per 1,000 gallons, we should stand to save huge dollars when considering we draw more than 3 million gallons a day. Yet that hasn’t been fully detailed in the city’s public hearings.

The city certainly has multiple options, and that may be the problem in that its leaders haven’t been able to settle into one in the rush to meet the May 11 ballot deadlines.

Citizens are asked Saturday to approve the funding mechanism, and no one can blame them if they decide to approve the bond plan not knowing specifics. Certainly, we’re going to have to address our water issues. We simply cannot wrap our proverbial arms around whatever the plan is to recommend it with confidence.